Eye of the night
by CommanderKnobi1
Summary: For years, the noble families Tepes and Anson remained locked in warfare. While the true cause of their conflict came down to something as trite as portion sizes, both sides chose to perpetuate their glorious struggle in the name of honor. And so it was that Ilona Anson(Mina) and Vlad Tepes(Alexander) first met. She his prisoner and he her captor. Slight AU; Alexander/Mina
1. New Beginnings Part1

**Prologue**

For years, the noble families Tepes and Anson remained locked in warfare. While the true cause of their conflict came down to something as trite as portion sizes, both sides chose to perpetuate their glorious struggle in the name of honor. And so it was that Ilona Anson and Vlad Tepes first met. She his prisoner and he her captor.

One magical moonlit night, destiny intervened and brought them together. An attraction not to be defeated by their warring families bloomed. She being irresistible, unattainable, and coy. He being oddly liberating, winsome, and brave. They escaped together under cover of darkness, fearful for their lives.

* * *

Against the rocky northern shores of Ireland, splintered pieces of cedar drifted with the tide. It was a miracle that Vlad and Ilona survived at all. But they had. Once their ship careened into several treacherous dark moss-covered rocks the hull was breached. Shaking hands grasped frantically what remained of the stolen vessel to stay afloat.

Seconds turned to minutes and momentarily feet were reunited with solid ground. Panting, breathless, the two young lovers lay exhausted on the sandy shore far away from Mother England.

A year came and went. The salty spray of ocean waves hung lifeless in the air. The humble cottage they shared nestled itself atop an idle cliff. Its rightness felt by the couple within their warm abode. To pass the time, the young man hunted and the young woman gathered. Happiness pushed their relationship to new heights. Come springtime, they wed.

Theirs was a simple ceremony. They stood face to face, hand in hand. The air around them swirled in quiet contentment. Anticipation filtered down to earth in wide rays of golden sun. Nature herself was in attendance.

Ilona was the first to speak, small gusts of wind lifting her raven locks. "In this life we can neither choose the path love has chosen nor where it leads. Instead all we can do is find the person with whom we will reap all the joy and satisfaction that comes from such a journey. You are this special person to me Vlad, and in this moment I gladly give you all my love, forever."

Vlad smiled, a tiny grin tugging his lips. "Ilona my love, I look at you and words are useless to compare with your beauty. I long to tell you each and every day through even the smallest gesture how much I want to spend the rest of my days with you. I promise you Ilona, my heart is yours. For eternity."

Fate took its course and a child grew within Ilona's womb. They were overjoyed. Nothing could have been more wonderful. Vlad held her close, arms wrapped protectively around her growing body. Thick soft furs of multitude shades covered the bed. Together they gazed past the flickering fireplace through their tiny oval window into the night.

The following morning, Ilona's childbearing pains roused her from quiet slumber. She managed to make it outside this time and hurled into the brush. Deciding more fresh air was in order, she continued down the winding path to collect fresh flowers for the table. As she bent to pick some on the way, a gloved hand covered her mouth and she pushed a scream, nothingness overtaking her.

Waking up alone, not seeing his wife anywhere in their cottage, panic diffused to calmness as he recalled her pregnancy sickness. In a habitual rush, Vlad threw a pair of trousers on and went to chop more firewood for the coming winter season. The sound of a twig being crushed was all that alerted him to the ambush. Swinging wildly, he managed to wound four of his attackers before a loud crack echoed through the forest and he knew no more.


	2. New Beginnings Part2

The voice of the Order of the Dragon's leader cut through the night air like twin daggers. "As punishment for your betrayal Vlad, you will watch your wife burned at the stake, unable to stop it. You see, normally, any crimes against the Order are punished by way of mundane death. However, we take special exception to traitors. That is why we have gone to such lengths to arrange this rather elaborate spectacle for this particular occasion. Tolin!"

"Yes my lord?"

"You may begin. Now that Vlad is here we can start. It's time to drag this piece of Ansonian filth out here to be burned at the stake."

"As you command, my lord." Tolin promptly responded, signaling for his knights to go and get the woman.

* * *

How they found out where they fled, he never knew.

Ignorance of the persistence of evil men had eluded him – until now. Coming to a place of agonizing helplessness, he watched powerless as the world came to a halt. He would give anything to save her but the iron shackles held fast.

He had grown to become sickened with the endless war and was disgusted by the unnecessary bloodshed that went along with it. Perhaps he should have never stowed away in the night with her, never giving another thought to what he felt for her.

"On the ground dirty traitor!" A vicious boot lashed out and he landed on the cold weathered cobblestone in a crumpled heap.

Pain ran through his body and his eyes squeezed shut. When he opened them again he saw his cousin Tolin grab his wife by the jaw in a twisting motion.

"The Order is again victorious. You will now pay for all your crimes, whore." Tolin spat, inches away from her face. In that moment, she lifted her gaze slowly towards Vlad, remaining the absolute picture of serenity, beautiful in her silence. Soldiers of the Order wound a thick rope around her body, tying her to a long vertical post that seemed to go on without end.

A torch was lit and passed to the soldier who tied the final knot. Without any sense of ceremony he tossed it onto the pyre. At first glance she seemed frozen in time, but to Vlad, all her kindness and serenity remained despite the bright orange flames.

Bare-chested and bloody, he looked on, frozen. His face trembled and tears painted it. He shouted her name at the top of his lungs, struggling against the burly soldiers holding him there. He continued to shout, to cry to beg, to plead all the while his eyes never leaving hers for an instant.

He threw his soul, his being into hers so that she could be filled – if for one last time, with his love. If only his love was enough to save her.

He could not bear to see her burn, flames devouring his wife and child. He tried to will the fire away but for naught. Burly men held him fast as he struggled to free his family.

There were so many things he desperately wished to say to her, but now it was too late.

Inevitably, her body could no longer withstand the heat. It seemed as if she writhed there for several eternities until she and their unborn child were gone forever. Once the fire died down, ashes rode the wind to better days.

Soon the onlookers dispersed, seeing the matter as closed, leaving the former Count to die, a sword protruding from his body.

Her passing carried their immortal love to the next life, and now he was hollow, oh so very hollow, without aim, broken.

Then came the rain. He drank it all in, each drop feeding his vengeance until his soul filled with unimaginable hatred. If he were a lesser man, he would end it all with haste. Grief stricken, thoughts of suicide balanced against other more pressing ones. He took the long view.

Weighing each thought like some ancient king; each given their full weight, he decided on justice. Although, since he himself was judge, jury, and executioner, he had to admit that it definitely was going to feel a lot like revenge.


End file.
